OBJECTIVE: According to the World Health Organisation, sepsis is one of the four main causes of pregnancy-related mortality worldwide, together with hemorrhage, hypertensive disease and abortion. The main goal of this paper is an analysis of one case of septic shock in pregnancy. DESIGN: A case report. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the First Faculty of Medicine and General Teaching Hospital, Prague. METHODS AND RESULTS: Authors would like to draw attention to the pitfalls of diagnosis and treatment of septic shock which developed in 25th week of pregnancy on the basis of pyelonephritis due to E...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate short- and long-term benefits and risks associated with antenatal administration of a single course of corticosteroids and the related strategies: multiple and rescue courses. METHODS: The PubMed database, the Cochrane Library and the recommendations from the French and foreign obstetrical societies or colleges have been consulted. RESULTS: Antenatal administration of a single course of corticosteroids before 34 weeks of gestation is associated in the neonatal period with a significant reduction of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and death (LE1), and in possibly childhood with a reduction of cerebral palsy and increased psychomotor development index and intact survival (LE3)...

Background Colonization/infection by antibiotic-resistant bacteria is becoming a major threat to health care systems. Case report Two septic neonates were readmitted in our hospital few days after hospital discharge. In both of them, microbiological workup revealed an infection caused by multiresistant pathogens. Noteworthy, one baby had received intensive care management for 4 weeks, whereas the other had been vaginally delivered and sent home on his second day of life. Conclusion These cases suggest that in countries and/or hospital with high prevalence of colonization/infection by resistant pathogens in nurseries, neonatal intensive care units, and obstetric wards, the choice of initial therapy of suspected sepsis in a neonate readmitted from home soon after discharge should take into account the possibility of an infection due to a multiresistant pathogen...

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of studies on the clinical profile and therapeutic aspects of critically ill obstetric patients from rural areas, especially those requiring tertiary care support and ventilator therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the aetiological, clinical, interventional and outcome-related factors of obstetric patients requiring mechanical ventilation in western India. We analysed factors that influence seeking of antenatal care, pregnancy and its complications, severity assessment score, indications and initiation of mechanical ventilation, multiorgan failure and their correlation with maternal mortality...

Scrub typhus and malaria can involve multiple organ systems and are notoriously known for varied presentations. However, clinical malaria or scrub typhus is unusual without fever. On the other hand, altered sensorium with or without fever, dehydration, hemorrhage and hemolysis may lead to low blood pressure. Presence of toxic granules and elevated band forms in such patients can even mimic sepsis. When such a patient is in the peripartum period, it creates a strong clinical dilemma for the physician especially in unbooked obstetric cases...

A 34-year-old nullipara, wishing to start a family, presented to colposcopy clinic. Her most recent cervical cytology result showed high-grade dyskaryosis. Having undergone four large loop excisions of the transformation zone during the past 6 years, this woman had no remaining vaginal cervix. In order to excise presumed high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia while mitigating obstetric risk, she underwent a simple vaginal trachelectomy and isthmic cerclage. 6 months later, the patient had a negative test of cure...

OBJECTIVES: Patients with pregnancies complicated with premature uterine contractions (PMC), but delivered at term are considered as false preterm labor (PTL), and represent a common obstetric complication. We aimed to assess obstetric and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated with PMC, but delivered at term, as compared to term normal pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Obstetric, maternal and neonatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies complicated with PMC between 24-33(6)/7 weeks (PMC group), necessitating hospitalization and treatment with tocolytics and/or steroids, during 2009-2014, were reviewed...

INTRODUCTION: The burden of hypertensive diseases on the health care is enormous given to the high population in Sub-Saharan Africa and related disproportionate representation in global maternal mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All women with hypertensive diseases of pregnancy who got admitted into the general ICU of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital between January 2006 and December 2010 were studied. Only the records of women who completed 28 weeks of gestation and were admitted during labour and delivery or puerperium to the ICU were examined...

Many humoral and cellular components participate in bidirectional communication between the coagulation and inflammation pathways. Natural anticoagulant proteins, including antithrombin (AT), tissue factor pathway inhibitor, and protein C, suppress proinflammatory mediators. Conversely, inflammation blunts anticoagulant activity and, when uncontrolled, promotes systemic inflammation-induced coagulation, such as those that occur in disseminated intravascular coagulation and severe sepsis. This review discusses the mechanisms of action and clinical use of AT concentrate in critically ill patients and in the settings of perioperative anticoagulation management for surgery and obstetrics...

BACKGROUND: Manual removal of the placenta is an invasive obstetric procedure commonly used for the management of retained placenta. However, it is unclear whether antibiotic prophylaxis is beneficial in preventing infectious morbidity. We conducted a systematic review to determine the efficacy and safety of routine use of antibiotics for preventing adverse maternal outcomes related to manual placenta removal following vaginal birth. METHODS: A detailed search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library and the CINAHL databases was conducted for non-randomized studies involving women undergoing manual placenta delivery after vaginal births and where antibiotic prophylaxis use was compared with no treatment or placebo to prevent maternal infection...

BACKGROUND: The paper's primary purpose is to determine changes in magnitude and causes of institutional maternal mortality in Mozambique. We also describe shifts in the location of institutional deaths and changes in availability of prevention and treatment measures for malaria and HIV infection. METHODS: Two national cross-sectional assessments of health facilities with childbirth services were conducted in 2007 and 2012. Each collected retrospective data on deliveries and maternal deaths and their causes...

OBJECTIVE: To review the incidence and patterns of near-miss obstetric events (defined as "A woman who nearly died but survived a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy"), as well as studying the classification criteria for near-miss events. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Mumbai. Women with near-miss obstetric events were interviewed during the period September 2012-August 2013...

INTRODUCTION: Recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM) is a novel anti-coagulant agent that regulates the imbalanced coagulation system by reducing the excessive activation of thrombin. rhTM potentially reduces the morbidity and mortality in patients with sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). However, the efficacy of rhTM in obstetric DIC has not yet been established. We performed this study to examine whether the administration of rhTM was a potentially effective treatment for DIC induced by one or more underlying obstetric disorders...

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a syndrome that can be initiated by a myriad of medical, surgical, and obstetric disorders. Also known as consumptive coagulopathy, DIC is a common contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality and is associated with up to 25% of maternal deaths. The etiopathogenesis of DIC is complex and currently thought to be initiated by tissue factor or thromboplastin, which is released from trophoblastic or fetal tissue, or maternal decidua or endothelium. Tissue factor activates the coagulation sequence to cause fibrin clotting and its dissolution by the fibrinolysin system...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the eticacy of microwave endometrial ablation after endometrial curettage, in selected patients with heavy menstrual bleeding. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two premenopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding underwent microwave endometrial ablation at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Patras Medical School. All patients did not respond to previous medical treatment, had completed their childbearing, and did not desire future fertility...

We report a unique clinical case about an 18-year-old woman, immediately post-partum after an urgent C-section, who survived severe sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and was successfully treated with 11 different antibiotics, massive blood transfusions and repetitive surgeries and was on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for 22 days. Although, ECMO is a time-limited procedure and most manufacturers do not advise more than 14 days of use, the situation for this patient was life-threatening and ECMO, despite the dangerous risks listed above, was the only way to win time for the lungs to recover and for treatment of the underlying disease, while maintaining adequate oxygenation and circulation...

Early recognition and treatment of sepsis are key to decreasing maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Timing is critical, and early intervention is associated with improved outcomes. The perinatal provider is in a unique position to identify risk factors, perform assessments, and implement the first 3 hours of the sepsis bundle. Early detection and management combined with careful assessment can assist in providing evidence-based care and moving the patient to a higher level of care when warranted.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with progression from pregnancy-associated severe sepsis to death in the UK. DESIGN: A population-based case-control analysis using data from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) and the UK Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Death (CEMD). SETTING: All pregnancy care and death settings in UK hospitals. POPULATION: All non-influenza sepsis-related maternal deaths (January 2009 to December 2012) were included as cases (n = 43), and all women who survived severe non-influenza sepsis in pregnancy (June 2011 to May 2012) were included as controls (n = 358)...

OBJECTIVE: Brucellosis is a zoonosis with high morbidity in humans. This disease has gained interest recently due to its re-emergence and potential for weaponization. Pregnant women with this disease can develop severe complications. Its association with adverse obstetric outcomes is not clearly understood. The objective of this study was to describe the obstetric outcomes of brucellosis in pregnancy. METHODS: Cases of pregnant women with active brucellosis seen at the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia from 1970 to 2012 were reviewed...